UAE Federal Court Penalises Man Dh882,000 for Forged Salary Documents

A man in the UAE has been convicted of orchestrating a sophisticated forgery scheme that misled a bank into settling more than Dh882,000 of his personal debts, after he submitted falsified documents exaggerating his income and fabricating housing commitments.

The federal court ruling -- which includes a three-month suspended jail term and a fine equal to the amount paid by the bank -- underscores the UAE’s firm legal stance against financial fraud and document forgery.

According to case files, the defendant applied for a debt-purchase facility, claiming he wanted to consolidate his outstanding liabilities. To bolster his eligibility, he submitted a “To Whom It May Concern” letter showing a monthly salary above Dh50,000, as well as a lease-approval document listing an annual rental obligation of Dh190,000. Both appeared to carry official seals and signatures of a government entity.

Relying on the documents, the bank approved the application and cleared the man’s dues with two other financial institutions, paying more than Dh882,000 on his behalf.

However, irregularities surfaced during an internal audit, prompting the bank to seek verification from the government department named in the documents. Officials confirmed they had not issued either the salary certificate or the lease approval.

Investigators later established that the debt-purchase request itself was falsified, including a fabricated salary declaration of Dh56,000 and a forged signature.

Prosecutors submitted digital records, internal testimonies and official correspondence proving the paperwork was fraudulent. They stated that the defendant intentionally deceived the bank to obtain financial benefits he was not entitled to.

The man denied any wrongdoing, insisting the documents were genuine. The court rejected his claims and affirmed the prosecution’s evidence, ruling that the forgery was deliberate and aimed at unlawful financial gain.

The judgment upheld the suspended three-month jail sentence and imposed a fine of Dh882,500 -- matching the amount the bank disbursed due to the forged documents.

Legal experts say the case highlights the UAE’s robust legal safeguards protecting financial institutions and its zero-tolerance approach to document forgery, particularly in matters impacting the integrity of the banking system.

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